A resolution in support of making the Berryessa Snow Mountain region a national conservation area stirred strong emotions Tuesday as several people spoke before the county Board of Supervisors about it, with a little over half in favor of the resolution.

That about the fit the final vote of the board itself, which supported the resolution 3-2.

"The Berryessa Snow Mountain area, in my opinion, is one of those special regions," said Sara Husby, executive director of Tuleyome, a Woodland nonprofit working to make the proposed conservation area a reality.

Currently, the large area -- 319,000 acres across several counties stretching from Snow Mountain in the north to Lake Berryessa in the south -- is a patchwork quilt of jurisdictions protected by three federal agencies: the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Forest Service.

The resolution before the board would support legislation already introduced in Congress to make the region a national conservation area, or NCA. Reps. Mike Thompson, John Garamendi and Lynn Woolsey introduced a bill to create the NCA in May of last year, and Sen. Barbara Boxer introduced a similar bill in July.

Advocates say an NCA would bring protection efforts under one umbrella, leading to more efficient management of the land and improvement of its trails, campsites and other recreation areas.

"Basically it would create effective and efficient government," Husby said.

According to Tuleyome, creation of an NCA would not hinder hunting, fishing, boating, grazing or other activities there -- all concerns expressed by opponents of the resolution, who described it as a government land grab.

"Berryessa Snow Mountain National Conservation Area is just another example of Yolo County applying another layer of control on the landowners," said Brooks resident Vickie Murphy to the board.

"If a private citizen has a problem with the NCA, we can't call you, and we certainly can't call Tuleyone," she said.

Dan Gallardo, a Capay Valley resident and president of the Yolo County Cattlemen and Wool Growers Association, said regulations imposed by an NCA would "open a pandora's box" for grazers.

Gallardo said he'd ridden up and down that country. "It's not pristine wilderness, it's a godforsaken wasteland," he said.

Another local, James Burridge, said he represents 66 private landowners on the east and south sides of Lake Berryessa. Burridge also questioned the ecological merit of the region.

"I think the entire ecosystem was changed 50 years ago. It's not Yosemite, it's not Yellowstone."

Others disagreed, including a professor who studies the region closely.

"In addition to the biological and environmental reasons for design of the Berryessa Snow Mountain conservation area, there are geologic reasons as well," said Eldridge Moores, professor emeritus of geology at UC Davis.

Moores said the area is used extensively "to examine exposure of sedimentary rocks along Putah Creek and Cache Creek."

He also said it contains unique geological specimens that are worthy of protection: "The rocks of Snow Mountain look as if they were laid down yesterday, but they weren't. Some of them were laid down 100 million years ago," he said.

So unique are the rocks there, he said, that conservation "will bring international attention to this region."

Discussion continued along these lines, with conservationists and nature-lovers supporting the resolution -- "We've seen bald eagles flying around in the sky, we've seen elk," speaker Jim Cramer said -- and rancher, farmer and landowner interests opposing it. When it came time for board discussion, Supervisor Don Saylor spoke passionately in its favor.

"This designation would clarify and establish a sense of place," he said, and offer "coherent vision and integrated management of this unique area."

Supervisor Duane Chamberlain asked whether one of the stated goals of the NCA -- bringing more visitors into the region -- was a good thing from a conservation standpoint.

"The more people tracking around country, it just creates problems like crazy," he said.

Supervisor Matt Rexroad said discussion needed to focus more on what an NCA would accomplish, noting there was already conservation in the region.

If the goal is just to conserve the area, "I don't know why we need this extra-special designation on this property to be able to do that," he said.

"I'm asking for a 'no' vote today; I don't think this is necessary to be able to do the things we want to do."

Supervisor Jim Provenza asked for a few changes to the language of the resolution, and Saylor and Supervisor Mike McGowan agreed, pushing the resolution through.

With its passage, Yolo County joins Napa and Lake counties, along with the cities of Winters, Davis, West Sacramento and others, in support of the proposed conservation area.